Ramsey & Parkeston Parish Council

Ramsey & Parkeston Parish Council serve the two villages of 2300 parishioners; combined as one Parish Council in 1900 the council consists of 11 councillors; 6 on the Ramsey Ward plus 5 on the Parkeston Ward.

The Ramsey & Parkeston Parish Council hold monthly meetings throughout the municipal year, excluding December; a diary of meeting dates scheduled for the municipal year are available on the Diary Page here.

Additionally planning meetings are held when deemed necessary, such as when time between the monthly meetings does not allow a decision to be made at such a meeting, being given 21 days from receipt of any application, to submit comments to Tendring District Council; or when any application received of a large scale is put out for fuller consultation via a public meeting.

As directed by the Local Government Act 1972, the Ramsey & Parkeston Parish Council hold an annual Assembly and an Annual meeting of the council.

Members of the public are welcome to all meetings of the council as advertised.

Ramsey

Ramsey lies just outside Harwich in Essex and is a rural retreat for locals and visitors alike. With so many historical attractions in the area, this corner of East Anglia has proved to be an attractive destination for many.

Ramsey Windmill

Ramsey Windmill is a Grade II listed Post Mill that was originally built in Woodbridge in Suffolk. It was moved to Ramsey in 1842 by Henry Collins, a Woodbridge based Millwright. The purpose of the mill was to grind corn, and it remained working in its current location until WWII. From 1974 – 1978, after a period of neglect, Ramsey Mill was restored to its former glory with the help of the Suffolk Mills Group. The mill stands at an impressive 48’ 6” with four double patent sails that set off the three-storey roundhouse magnificently. The mill is no longer working, but a series of ingenious systems have been put in place to prevent further deterioration.

St Michael’s Church

With a prominent position at the top of Church Hill in the village of Ramsey, St Michael’s Church is a historical monument not to be missed. The church itself dates back to the 12th century and the tower, which is mostly built from brick, was constructed in the 15th century. The church is still in use serving both Ramsey and Little Oakley.

Ramsey War Memorial Hall

The Ramsey War memorial Hall has undergone refurbishment to restore its former beauty. The hall is named after the famous war memorial in the centre of Ramsey. This memorial depicts St George spearing a Dragon and was erected to pay tribute to the many local people of the Parish who lost their lives during WWI and WWII.

Parkeston

The North Sea Port village of Parkeston in Essex is home to Harwich International Port, formerly known as Parkeston Quay. The village is rich in industrial history, and since it was opened in 1883 by Charles Parkes, chairman of the Great National Railway, it has been an integral feature of trade and recreation within the UK.

Ray Island

Parkeston Quay was built on reclaimed land, previously known as Ray Island, and served as an important GNR railway depot. Named after it’s founder Charles Parkes, it served as a main trading post with Europe before the line was re-routed and the passenger ferry service from Harwich was established.

Parkeston Cemetery

Parkeston Cemetery is a popular destination for local people to take a walk, within the grounds of the cemetery there is a Victorian Chapel, another historical attraction for visitors to the area.

Cancelled Meeting August 17thThe meeting has been cancelled to fall in line with the summer break of the District and County Councils. The next meeting of your Parish Council will take place on Thursday 21st September in the Ramsey War Memorial Hall. Should you have any issues or questions relating to our parish then please contact the clerk either here or vial email: clerk@ramseyparkeston-pc.gov.uk or telephone 01255 502616 ... See MoreSee Less

The history of Tendring’s coastline is set to be brought to life through a series of free events supported by Essex County Council, Tendring District Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The two-year ‘Resorting to the Coast’ project launches at the end of August and aims to highlight the historic seaside heritage of Tendring’s coastal towns with help from The Grand Theatre of Lemmings theatre company.

The project will enable local people to discover the history of seaside entertainment through street theatre, installations, theatrical re-enactment and the sharing of memories. ‘Resorting to the Coast’ will engage audiences with the fascinating history of Clown Bertram, our local seaside hero. Clown Bertram was a leading comedy character from Clacton and entertained crowds with his performances of banjo songs, a ventriloquist act, knobbly knees competitions and much more. He was the most popular and best-loved performer ever to appear in Clacton and spent 18 seasons from 1922 to 1939 entertaining both adults and children alike in packed houses.

During the last week of August ‘Resorting to the Coast’ with the Grand Theatre of Lemmings will visit Clacton, Walton, Frinton, Jaywick Sands and Harwich with their modern-day Clown Bertram and his bright young things. You can also expect hula hooping, comedy, magic, music and a flea circus.

Details on where you can find ‘Resorting to the Coast’ with the Grand Theatre of Lemmings:

• Wednesday, 30 August 12-4pm at Dovercourt Greensward, next to boating lake • Thursday, 31 August 12-4pm at Jaywick Martello Tower• Friday, 1 September 12~4pm at Frinton seafront, next to beach patrol • Saturday, 2 September 12~4pm at Walton seafront, to the right of the pier • Sunday, 3 September 12~4pm at Clacton seafront, to the right of the pier

Susan Barker, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities and Customer: “We’re lucky to have one of the longest coastlines in Britain and Tendring’s stretch is steeped with history. I am delighted we are able to help bring that history to life through a number of free events for local residents and visitors.”

‘Resorting to the Coast’ has been made possible thanks to a National Lottery grant of £316,400 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Essex County Council and Tendring District Council are also contributing time and resources alongside volunteers, including local heritage groups, who are the driving force behind a range of activities. Spanning two years, ‘Resorting to the Coast’ will proactively engage with local community groups and schools to bring the seaside heritage of Clacton, Frinton, Harwich/ Dovercourt, Jaywick and Walton-on-the-Naze to life.

Mick Skeels, Tendring District Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism, said he is really looking forward to this exciting and interesting initiative.

“We have a very rich and varied coastal heritage in Tendring and it is something that we are extremely proud of,” he said. “I am delighted to see this project is launching this summer and is running for two years. I am certain it will be very popular and can help spread the message about our fascinating coastline far and wide.”

The Grand Theatre of Lemmings is an organisation that works with local communities to help them celebrate their heritage, enabling everyone to feel proud of where they come from. They do this through schools projects, community celebration events and theatre. For this project they will be working with heritage professionals from local history societies to provide an accurate account of just what the entertainment involved.

Commenting on the project, Mandy Rose, Artistic Director, said: “We are thrilled to be partnered with Essex County Council, Tendring District Council and Heritage Lottery Fund and are really excited to engage a whole new generation with their fun and varied seaside history. We can’t wait to get stuck in and recreate such a fun and well-loved character such as Clown Bertram.”

‘Resorting to the Coast’ is looking for volunteers to help with each event. Activities for volunteers could include splat-a-rat, sandcastle competition, hula hoop, dressing up and a general facilitation for fun. Old or young, all are welcome! If you would like to help please contact Mandy Rose by emailing admin@lemmingstheatre.co.uk ... See MoreSee Less

Tendring District Council has given approval to the 24 month temporary facilities at Great Oakley airfield to support the Galloper Windshore Ltd operations; awaiting approval for the planning application submitted that will transfer the operations to the Harwich International Port. ... See MoreSee Less